2014 Medicaid Income Changes

Welcome back to the 2014 edition of TexasTitle19.com. It is that time of year again. January 1st is when certain numbers used to determine eligibility for Texas nursing home Medicaid benefits change and if you are looking for Medicaid eligibility you better know what they are or it could cost you a lot of money. There is one set of numbers that impact a Medicaid applicant’s (or their spouse’s) income and a different set of numbers that impact the Medicaid applicant’s (or their spouse’s) assets. In this article we are going to look at the changes that deal with income issues with Texas nursing home Medicaid. Next time we are going to look at the changes and limits that deal with assets and eligibility in 2014.

The first change is an increase in the minimum monthly needs allowance from the 2013 limit of $2,898 to $2,931 beginning January 1, 2014. This increase in the minimum monthly needs allowance will allow a healthy spouse at home to potentially divert an extra $33 per month from the nursing home spouse’s income to themselves. That is almost $400 per year, and in situations like these every little bit helps.

The second change is an increase in the amount of gross monthly income a nursing home Medicaid applicant is allowed to have while still being eligible for benefits. In 2013 a Medicaid applicant was only allowed to have $2,130 per month in gross monthly income (using the government’s definition of “income” which may be a little different from what most people consider to be “income”). Beginning January 1, 2014, a nursing home resident will be allowed to have $2,163 per month in gross monthly “income”. If your loved one is over that eligibility limit you can still create Medicaid eligibility with a 100% guaranteed Miller Trust from The Shea Law Firm. If your loved one is over the income limit and they do not have a properly created and administered Miller Trust then you are facing ineligibility for Medicaid benefits.

How Does this Impact Your Family?

If your loved one is dealing with the financial devastation that can result from an extended nursing home stay do not give up and do not spend more than you have to. I can help you establish Medicaid eligibility through proven techniques while protecting everything your family is entitled to protect. Act now to secure Medicaid eligibility and eliminate the uncertainty and restless nights wondering who will pay the nursing home costs of more than $150 every day (or $4,500+ every month). Remember, only you can protect your rights and property. Call The Shea Law Firm at (832) 592-7913 to get started today.